3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Steven J Perron

Justin M Johnson

Thomas J Gilbert

Donald R Battles

Robert D Lorentz

Mark A Peltier

Lori-Ann S Prioleau

James C Vanous

Brinda B Badri

Sheila F Cox

Jacob D Chatterton

George A Kurhajec

Peter K Pederson

Kent W Gable

Leigh E Wood

Shinji Kimura

Badri Veeraraghavan

Kristopher K Biegler

Neelakandan Chandrasekaran

Timothy P Pariseau

Timothy Diekmann

Timothy V Stagg

Daryl D Johnson

Ryan M Luepke

Todd L Nelson

Neal C Rothwell

Peter J Bugeja

Masato Kondo

Sidney Magee, Jr

Timothy J Diekmann

Absorbent article including a chassis and fastening tab. The fastening tab includes a carrier, a first fastener having first male fastening elements, and a second fastener. The second fastener includes a backing with first and second opposing surfaces, with second male fastening elements on the first surface. A first portion of the second surface of the backing is connected to the carrier, and a second portion of the second surface of the backing is attached to the topsheet side of the chassis. The carrier is attached to the backsheet side of the chassis. Some fastening laminates, before attachment to the article, have the second portion of the second fastener folded over to face the first portion of the second fastener. Other laminates have the second fastener positioned with its first surface toward the carrier and attached to the carrier with a film.

Absorbent article and fastening laminate

The article includes a thermoplastic layer having opposing first and second side edges and a first surface bearing male fastening elements. The thermoplastic layer is plastically deformed and has a retardance profile having an average retardance along a line from the first edge to a location 500 micrometers from the first edge and a distance from the first edge where 75% of the average retardance is observed of at least 10 micrometers. In some cases, a distance between the first and second side edges is up to 50 millimeters. In some cases, the article is a fastening tab. The method includes providing a thermoplastic film having opposing first and second side edges, with a distance between the opposing side edges of up to 50 millimeters, and stretching the thermoplastic film to form the thermoplastic layer, which is plastically deformed. The first surface of the thermoplastic film bears male fastening elements.

Fastening articles and methods of making the same

A wetness sensor includes a substrate that carries a tuned RF circuit. The circuit includes a conductive pattern applied to the substrate, a capacitor, and a jumper all disposed on a same side of the substrate. The conductive pattern includes an inductive coil, and an inner and outer terminus. The jumper electrically couples the inner terminus to the outer terminus. The jumper also includes a frangible link which, when contacted by a target fluid, produces a drastic change in the operation of the RF circuit. The drastic change can be interpreted by a remote reader as a 'wet' condition. Contact of the frangible link by the target fluid may change the impedance or resistance of the RF circuit by at least a factor of 5, 10, 100, or more, and/or may cause the frangible link to disintegrate to produce an open circuit, and/or may substantially render the RF circuit inoperative.

Wetness sensor using RF circuit with frangible link

A wetness sensor includes a self-supporting substrate and an electrically conductive trace carried by the substrate. The trace is patterned to provide at least a portion of a tuned RF circuit, which may be disposed on only one side of the substrate and characterized by an impedance or resistance. The trace is not self-supporting. The substrate is adapted to dissolve, swell, or otherwise degrade when contacted by a target fluid. Such degradation produces a drastic change in the operation of the RF circuit, which can be interpreted by a remote reader as a 'wet' condition. Contact of the substrate by the target fluid may change the impedance or resistance of the RF circuit by at least a factor of 5, 10, 100, or 1000, and/or may cause the trace to disintegrate so as to provide the RF circuit with an open circuit, and/or may substantially render the RF circuit inoperative.

Wetness sensors

A method of separating strands of a slit web is disclosed. The method includes providing a slit web having a length in a machine direction and running the slit web in the machine direction onto a stretchable surface. The slit web includes multiple strands provided by a plurality of slits extending in a first direction not parallel to a cross-machine direction. The slit web is in contact with the stretchable surface for a path length in the machine direction, and for at least a portion of the path length, the stretchable surface is stretching in the cross-machine direction. The traction between the slit web and the stretchable surface during the stretching at least partially separates at least some of the multiple strands of the slit web in a second direction transverse to the first direction. A method of increasing a width of a polymeric netting is also disclosed.

Method of separating strands on a stretching surface

A fastening tab is provided having a substrate with a main portion, a user's end portion extending from the main portion, a primary mechanical fastening patch having a side edge coterminous with the side edge of the user's end portion of the substrate, and first and second auxiliary mechanical fastening patches on the main portion of the substrate. A method of making a fastening tab is also disclosed. The method includes attaching multiple discrete patches of mechanical fastener to a substrate web extending in the machine direction, cutting through the substrate web and the multiple patches of mechanical fastener in the machine direction with a continuous, meandering cut to provide two sub-webs, and optionally providing cross-web direction cuts through each sub-web to provide a plurality of fastening tabs. An absorbent article including the fastening tab and webs of fastening tabs are also included.

Fastening tab and method of making the same

A masking tape is provided that is suitable for insertion under many moldings and gaskets which not only masks the molding or gasket but also facilitates refinishing under at least a portion of the molding or gasket. The masking tape is constructed to include a longitudinal non-adhesive portion and a longitudinal adhesive portion, wherein the non-adhesive portion is stiffer than the adhesive portion and is sufficiently stiff to facilitate easy insertion of the non-adhesive portion beneath at least a portion of the molding or gasket to be masked while the adhesive portion is sufficiently flexible to permit the wrapping thereof around the molding or gasket. The stiffened portion advantageously provides a dual purpose of facilitating the easy insertion of the non-adhesive portion beneath the molding or gasket and creating a lever action during application between the molding or gasket and the wall or panel to which the molding or gasket is mounted. This lever action creates a force which tends to separate or lift an edge of the molding or gasket from the wall or panel to open the wall or panel under the molding or gasket for refinishing. The masking tape is especially applicable for masking flexible gaskets that include a leg portion that overlies an adjacent panel that is to be refinished.

Masking tape with stiffened edge

Method of gasket masking using masking tape with a stiffened edge

Masking tape with stiffened edge and method of gasket masking

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Steven J Perron